Slug handling devices



Sept. 16, 1958 J. R. GENTRY 2,852,301

SLUG HANDLING DEVICES Filed March l0. 1945 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Gb-.2. ii

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NHNTHNL United tates Patent SLUG HANDLING DEVICES James Ross Gentry, Oak Ridge, Tenn., assignor to .the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Application March 10, 1945, Serial No. 582,093

l 4 Claims. (Cl. 294-114) This invention relates to article handling devices. More particularly, this invention concerns devices for handling containers iilled with chemical materials referred to in this particular art as slugs.

In certain fields, particularly in some of the chemical and allied industries, it is necessary to handle small containers of hazardous materials. These containers or slugs, as they are termed herein, may be iilled with various different chemical components. While these slugs are usually rather small in size, they are relativelyheavy. Although they may be constructed of metal cases fully enclosing the materials, there possibly may be small ruptures in the `casing and for various other reasons, the manual handling thereof even with heavy protective gloves'is undesirable as this might bring the slugs into close proximity with the body of the handler thereby presenting possible dangers. These containers of materialsor slugs of the class described herein, as will be pointed out, may be of various configurations, but for convenience of description and inasmuch as one of the most frequent types encountered is cylindrical in shape, this type is primarily considered herein. However, it is to be understood that the term container or s lug is employed to embrace any of the usual coniigurations whether they be long or short cylinders, hexagonal, square, or other similar shapes.

The use of the slugs in such chemical processes and related subject matter forms no part of the present invention. The present invention is concerned with providing a device by which the articles of the class described may be, for example, picked up out of a liquid and inserted into another liquid or into a tank or other similar handling operation conveniently carried out without the operator coming into contact with the article handled or the liquid or other media into which it is introduced or from which it is removed. The details relative to the processing of the slugs and related information is the invention of others and is described in copending applications such as Seaborg and Thompson App. Ser. No. 519,714, filed January 26, 1944, now Patent No. 2,785,951, issued March 19, 1957, or in Raymond W. Stoughton application Ser. No. 570,803, led December 30, 1944.

I have found devices particularly useful in handling such slugs without the attendant danger of permitting the slug to come into unduly close contact with the person, and by which the slug may be relatively conveniently removed from tanks, liquids, `or other environments and moved to different environments.

This invention has for o-ne object to provide an article handling device particularly suitable for handling containers of the class described containing certain chemical materials. g

Another object is to provide a slug handling device.

Still another object is to provide a device of the class described whereby the article being handled may be kept at a suitable distance from the person.

Still another object is to provide a handling device of Patented Sept. 16, 1958 A still further object is to provide a manually operated slug handling device.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I have found a device of the type described that is particularly suitable for handling articles containing `chemical components which it is desired to keep away from contact with the operator, and may be comprised of an elongated handle provided with a mechanism which includes gripping means such as pivoted jaws that will suitably grip the slug to be handled. In addition the weight of the slug being handled assists in the aforementioned gripping action. However, by application of counterforce, the slug may be easily released.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference will be made to the attached drawings forming a part of the present application.

Fig. l is a simple side elevation View for illustrating one type of slug or container referred to as handled by the device of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of one species of handling device Vin accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of this species taken on the line A-A of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of still another species of device in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of this species taken on the line B-B of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation view of still another species of construction.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, of a por. tion of the species of Fig. 6.

Referring now to Fig. l, the slug or container 2 frequently required to be handled as herein described may be, as depicted, merely a cylindrical can much the same in shape as the usual metal can encountered ordinarily such as those which contain foodstuffs, lubricating oils, or many other materials. The primary diiference would be that a slug might be several times longer than such ordinary cans or of a greater diameter, and of a different type metal, or sealed differently at the ends. However, for general considerations as to shape it may be regarded as analo-gous to such ordinary cans.

Referring now to Fig. 2, a slug 2 is shown held by a slug handling device of the present invention. Reference numeral 3 indicates the outside sleeve or housing for the device. A supported means 4 for an elongated hollow handle 5 is attached to the housing.

Referring to Fig. 3 which is a sectional View taken on the line A-A of Fig. 2, the parts already referred to have l string 7 The downward movement of sleeve 6 is stopped t by the shoulder 8 on the inner surface of housing 3.

v Attached to the bottom of movable sleeve 6 are a plurality of pivoted gripping arms or jaws 9. These members are held by bolts, rivets, welding or the like, as at 10, to the movable sleeve 6. The gripping members 9 are held in an engaging position by means of springs 11 or equivalent means.

In normal position members 9 engage the slug as indicated in the drawing. By applying tension to the trip string 7 the gripping arms or ja'ws are moved upwardly to` the disengaged position indicated in the dotted line showing.

Referringto Figi 4;. another species ofconstruction` is shown which is suitable for handling heavierrslug'sbecause-of the longer spring.Y members 31. The device of Fig'. 4 is-otlierwise quite similar to the onealread'y described. The'heavier slug. to be handled is indicated by reference numeral 22. The outer sleeve member or housin'gis indicated by reference-numeral'ZS. Attached thereto is a suitable supporting means 24'f'or holding'handle"l 25.

Referring toeFigfS; whichisa sectional viewtaken on the line B-B of Fig. 4, a movable inner sleeve" 26 is provided. This sleevemay be'- moved upwardlyby means of-tensionfapplied'to thetrip string 27. The movementof the sleeve downwardly'isstopped byv the'cov'er-ZSE" Piv'oted gripping arms ror jaws 29"are provided forV engagingl the slug. These members' are connected by means ofi lorig' springs, 31, tothe cover28.

In` operation the springs hold the gripping meinb'ersin Y engaging. position, however, when tension is' applied to the trip string 27iand cover 28`is raised; as 'shown indottedv line, the grippingmembers are brought into adisenga'gedV` position.

Referring to Fig. 6, the species of devicehere shown comprises the slug grasping mechanism 43, which" may have attached thereto a long-ruggedh'andlef 445 TheE mechanism-43 is ared a'sat 4S' for ease in sliding-the device over the top ofa'slugi Referring now to Fig. 7, as shown in-seetio'gthe; mechanism 43 may beiconstructed of metal.v Positioned on the side of the mechanism as at 46'is-an opeiiiitlgwl'iichVL contains a grippingv arm or jaw memberV 47. Tethor other friction means are provided at 48.- The memberV is pinned ina movable manner at 49 and is`"conn:ectedby rod 50 to a lever arrangement 51. This lever arrangement" is supported in a movable manner by bracket 52-.`-Y -A-trip rod or cable extending up the handle is providedi at53'. Force applied to the parts for causing'the jaw member to pivot inwardly is -obtained by a spring as at i521i;l In;

this connection it will be understood-that one lendT of spring 54 is secured -to tubular socket member 43 andftheI otherend is joined to pivoted lever 51,soithatas the'lever is swung about its pivot Vby rod 53, thespring 54 is placed under tension, and will tend to return ythe-lever51to`its original position when the upward force on the rod S3* is removed or relaxed.

As apparent from the drawing the springholds the-gripping arm or jaw member 47 inwardly. Therefore, when:

the device is pushed over the top ofa slug,- the teeth '48 securely hold the slug in the handling device. Th'e'slug may be moved about and handled'as desired. 'I'lreslugly may be released from the device by pulling the trip' rod:

From the Vseveralspeiesdescribed, itmaybe -seen that'` my invention'- is ,i susceptiblef of rvari-nis embodiments. While the -species desribedare tubular or cylindrical'inasmuchlas ltheparticular type vof slug'` tov be handled .do not limit ,the` scopeV of this invention, as it is intended to claim the .invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

l` claim: A

1. Apparatus for handling slugs comprising a housing, supporting means" for a lhandle attachedtothe housing, a

.handle connected thereto, a-'movable sleeve positioned within said housing, said sleeve being adapted to movement up and down within said housing, means associated with the movable sleeve to stop the downward movement thereof, aplurality of-jaw vmembers connected' with; said movable sleeve' andY held' under tension for'f slug engage'- ment, saidjaws being-a'da'ptedy to movement into adisen'- gaged position by upward movement of said movable sleeve. n

2. Apparatus for handling slugs comprisingV a'tubular member, supportingmeansfor an elongated'handleattached to the tubular member, an elongated handleconnected thereto; a movable sleeve Vpositioned within" said tubularmem-ber, said sleeve beingfadapted to movement up and-downwithin said tubular member, means 'carried theV movable sleeve to stop the downward movement thereof; a'pluralityfof pivoted jaw membersconnected 'withL saidmovablesleeve and held under tension forjslug en# gagernent, said j aw vmembers being adapted to movement intoA a' disengagedposition by upward movement ofsaid" movable sleeve.'

32 Apparatus for handling slugs comprising a tubular tubular member, said sleeve being adapted formovement up and down withinsaidY tubular member, an annular shoulder'on the inner surface of said member adaptedto cooperatewith 'said movable sleeve to 'stop the downward4t movement thereof, a plurality of pivotedjaw members connectedl with said movable sleeve and heldfunder tension` for'slug'vengagement, said jaw" members being" adaptedY for movement in to a'disengaged 4position by up ward movement of said movable sleeve.

. 41 Apparatus for handling slugs comprising a'tubula'r" member, supporting means for a lhandle attached `tothe tubular member, an elongated handle connected' thereto, a movable' sleeve positioned within said tubular member, said sleeve beingadapted for movement up and 'down withinsaid'tubular member; means carried by the' upper portion of the movable sleeve to stop the downward move-Y ment thereof, aplurality of pivoted jaws connected with said movable sleeve and held under tension-by relatively long springs for'slug engagement, said jaws being adapted for movement into a disengaged position by upward movement of said movable sleeve.

Rfrenecned in the are of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,661 Neumann 'July 15, 1902 1,486,624 Bajus Mar. ll, l924f 1,876,339 Oberle" Sept. 6, 1932 1,900,471l Ties' .f Mar. 7, 1933: 2,102,348 Balochi. Dec. 14,1937 2,250,836 Landers Iuly 29,` `1941 

